


Agatha Heterodyne and the Survivor

by Sturzkampf



Category: Girl Genius
Genre: Gen, Originally Posted Elsewhere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 13:24:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7465068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sturzkampf/pseuds/Sturzkampf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Agatha Heterodyne has an unsettling chance encounter.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Agatha Heterodyne and the Survivor

**Author's Note:**

> A first draft was posted on the Jägerkin Forum

Everyone was relieved when Agatha Heterodyne returned to Mechanicsburg with a broad grin on her face and a spring in her step. On those rare occasions when she found time to lay aside the burden of The Heterodyne and take a cruise through the mountains in Baron Gilgamesh Wulfenbach’s personal yacht, with maybe a stop for a private picnic in an inaccessible meadow along the way, she was liable to come back either very happy or very angry. As a rule, life for everyone was so much easier if the loving couple hadn’t had a blazing row. There are times when boring is good, even in Mechanicsburg.

In fact, after this particular trip, Agatha was quite exceptionally cheerful. It could have been that spending a little private quality time alone with the Baron had filled her with the joys of spring; or perhaps she had simply had one or two more glasses of Prosecco than was altogether wise. Whatever the reason, rather than accompany Gil as he strode past the line of Wulfenbach crewmen airship who stood rigidly to attention at the yacht’s entrance hatch, Agatha felt the need to stop and talk to each one personally, thank them for a wonderful day’s outing and shake their hand. Gil, waiting for her outside, watched his minions’ reactions of mixed embarrassment, pleasure and panic with amusement.

Until Agatha came to one airman. The man stood with his eyes straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact. Agatha’s greeting and outstretched hand hung in the air.

“By your leave, Ma’am," he said, his face white with fear, but set in grim determination, “’l’ll not shake your hand.”

“Oh, ah, alright then,” replied Agatha momentarily taken aback. She looked at the man more closely and noticed the little details. The scaring of old burns, long healed, around his neck; the distinctive purple medal ribbon on his chest; the black and silver mourning ring on his hand.

“Oh, you were at the Great Siege of Mechanicsburg weren’t you?” Agatha asked.

“Yes Ma’am.”

“And you lost someone dear to you there didn’t you?”

“Yes Ma’am. My wife. Always made sure that we were on the same ship. That way, if we did go down, we’d go down together. But when the clanks hit, somehow I walked away and she… she didn’t.”

“I am, so, so sorry,” said Agatha.

“No Ma’am, don’t be sorry. We were trying to drop high explosives on your head at the time; we were soldiers fighting a war and knew the risks. There’s nothing for you to apologise for. But…” the airman swallowed audibly, “I’ll not shake your hand if you don’t mind.”

“Ah, of course.” Agatha walked on, but somehow the happiness in her smile had dimmed and she moved rapidly to the end of the line with only a few brief words to the remaining airmen. Gil, waiting for her outside the ship, was red with fury.

“I cannot believe that,” he snarled, glaring at the retreating backs of his crew as they returned hastily to their posts. “Don’t worry, I will severely punish that man for his insolence.”

Agatha turned to him with her sweetest of smiles. “No Gil. No you won’t.” They looked into each other’s eyes for a long moment.

“No. No, I won’t,” he agreed.

**Author's Note:**

> _Agatha Heterodyne, the City of Mechanicsburg and Gilgamesh Wulfenbach are all the creations of Studio Foglio_


End file.
